Crimson Peak

I was getting pretty sick of those jump-scare-there's-something-lurking-in-a-dark-corner style movies like Insidious and the Conjuring. And Guillermo Del Toro must have thought the same thing because Crimson Peak is a gorgeous looking Gothic style movie with awesomely designed sets which have an incredible amount of detail to them. This adds a great dark and brooding atmosphere to the film and alleviates the need for these aforementioned jump scares. The story is well written and has great characters played by Mia Wasikowska, Tom Hiddleston and other well cast actors. Unfortunately it got only moderate critical reviews and was also somewhat ignored by the audience in favor of Goosebumps no less. Damn kids, they ruin everything! wink emoticon

But it might get a second life in the video circuit as people might still discover this very enjoyable movie. Big thumbs up for me!

The storyline has good flow but is perhaps a bit predictable, acting is decent though the characters don't have much depth. But the winner for this film are the visuals. The house itself is stunningly haunting and the ghosts are almost ethereal. This movie doesn't have much substance but is a real treat to watch.

Having been a fan of Guillermo Del Toro for some time now, I had expected 'Crimson Peak' to be his next great masterpiece. Although the film didn't meet my expectations, I can't say that it disappointed them either.

Near the end of the 18th century, aspiring author Edith Cushing (Wasikowska) meets a struggling inventor by the name of Thomas Sharpe (Hiddleston). The two quickly fall in love and move into Sharpe's dilapidating mansion - which is also inhabited by Thomas' sister, Lucille (Chastain). Once there, Edith slowly realizes that not everything is what it seems and decides to dig deeper, in spite of the growing dangers.

First, 'Crimson Peak' is not a horror film; it is a 'gothic romance' (with some horror elements thrown into the mix). The genre hasn't been visited upon for decades, yet Del Toro does a fine job of offering his own take on it. The film also contains plenty of blood and gore - so if you don't have a stomach for that kind of stuff, your chances of finishing this film are nil (for there are far more disturbing aspects).

The story constantly switches in tone. I get that its a 'gothic romance' (two genres that can't be any further apart from each other), but it can get confusing for some people very quickly. One scene might seem like it was from a romantic period film while the next might seem like something out of a thriller! I think Del Toro and Robbins did a fine job of balancing the pacing, but they could have certainly tweaked a few things and cut the runtime down by an extra ten or fifteen minutes.

That being said, the plot is pretty straightforward - up until the last third of the film. Again, there are some disturbing details that both Edith and the audience discover. It took me some time to connect certain things, but I eventually figured out the bigger picture. Nevertheless, the very nature of this film will undoubtedly shock you - and will do it in a way that no other film released this year has.

Both Wasikowska and Hiddleston give good performances, but Chastain is the standout. Her role as a cold-hearted, manipulative aristocrat is done with sheer excellence; you can't help but suspect of her something. She allures your attention with her mysterious persona, yet you can't help but hate her for who she truly is.

Just like in any other Del Toro film, the visuals in this film are amazing. This time, instead of the visual effects (like in 'Pacific Rim'), the main focus is on the production design and costume design. Every set, prop, and article of clothing not only have their own unique design but are also very telling of a scene's or character's given mood (now that's some good attention to detail). I would honestly be shocked if this film wasn't nominated for Best Prod. Design nor Best Costume (although I also wouldn't be surprised as the Academy usually forgets about films like these).

Despite its narrative problems, 'Crimson Peak' is a grand visual experience that needs to be seen on the big screen (notwithstanding the blood and gore). Del Toro's directing has not faltered one bit, and he truly has come up with an original concept that we haven't seen in a very long time. And although I didn't completely fall in love with this film, I will say I'm glad I watched it in theatres.

My actual rating for this film is 7.5/10

I hate skipping plot summaries when I write one of these, but I think it's probably best when discussing Crimson Peak. The plot here isn't all that important. Crimson Peak is one of those "style over substance" movies. The plot takes a backseat to the cinematography, lighting, costumes, sets, special effects, and just about anything else you can list that makes a movie look good. And what plot there is in Crimson Peak is so filled with holes, I fear that dwelling on it will only make me like the movie less. I'll just say that the plot left me with more questions than it answered.

If films are art, Crimson Peak belongs next to the Mona Lisa. It is one of the most stunning pieces of film I've ever seen. Every frame looks like a painting. I'm not sure I've seen a film this beautiful since I watched House of Flying Daggers over ten years ago. The colors, the shadows, the lights - gorgeous. My absolute favorite image (and I'm not alone based on what I've read across the internet) is the ceiling-less grand hall in the rotting great house. It's amazing. Another element that really helps the images come alive is the atmosphere. I may not care for Guillermo del Toro's plot, but there's not denying his skill as a director. He mastfully fills the film with atmosphere so thick, you could cut it with a knife. Combine the atmosphere with the visuals and you end up with a movie I'm going to enjoy on some level despite its other flaws.

The acting in Crimson Peak is hit or miss. Normally, I feel that Tom Hiddleston outshines his co-stars, Here, however, he's completely over-shadowed by Jessica Chastain. She acts circles around everyone else in the film. Her role is the smallest of the three main characters, but she dominates everything - even the scenes she's not in.

Overall, if you're a fan of gothic romance/horror/mystery (although the horror elements don't come to much and the solution to the mystery is all too obvious) you owe it to yourself to check out his gorgeous film.

This film is visually amazing. Anyone familiar with some of Del Toro's other work will see a lot of his signature visual touches, which is far from being a bad thing, and the design of the ghosts was refreshingly innovative and blended into the overall visual style. The plot is interesting once it gets going, however slightly predictable.

Sadly, there are some noticeable downsides. The most obvious one is how slowly this film starts, with seemingly very little happening for the first twenty or so minutes. The focus is very heavily on the plot, and while some characters are developed more slowly because it ties in with the plot, others can feel underdeveloped. When this is combined with the slow start, it makes the first part of this film fairly boring. Some of the chronology of this film can seem slightly strange as well, when scrutinised.

However, despite its faults, this is still a good film and worth watching. 7/10